Milan 2015: Japanese designer Kosho Ueshima has designed a nanotech toothbrush that cleans your teeth without toothpaste.

The Misoka toothbrush, created in collaboration with Osaka technology company Yumeshokunin, features bristles coated in nano-sized mineral ions measuring one billionth of a metre in diameter.

The ions pass from the bristles to the teeth during brushing, removing stains and forming a protective coating on the enamel.

Instead of using toothpaste, the user dips the brush into a glass of water, which loosens the ions.

"Even without toothpaste, your teeth stay as shiny and clean as though you just walked out of a teeth-cleaning session at the dentist's," said the designers.

The toothbrush features bristles that measure just 0.178 millimetres in thickness, and which are tapered at the ends. This allows them to clean in the gaps between the teeth.

"Misoka" is Japanese for "the last day of the month" since the bristles weaken, making the brush ineffective after around one month, at which point it should be replaced.

Yumeshokunin's nanotechnology toothbrushes have been available in Japan and Asia since 2007, and two million units have already been sold.

The brush has now been redesigned by Ueshima, an industrial designer at Tokyo office The Industrial Design Studio.

It will be launched for the European market in Milan next week during the Salone del Mobile.

Ueshima's fluid design, which is manufactured in translucent PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic, is based on a stream of running water.

Misoka will be presented in Milan next week at Water Fountain, a bespoke installation designed by Setsu and Shinobu Ito, who have also designed a cast aluminium holder for the toothbrush.

Water Fountain will be located at Officina 2, Opificio 31 at Via Tortona 31.